|
* * *
The early Church,, mostly beginning in the 4th Century, began struggling to give insight into the Tri-unity of the Godhead: Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Godhead, in time, came to refer to God-as-God - the Oneness, or Unity, of Divine Reality, apart from the three "Persons," or Trinity. Yet, "apart" is not an adequate word, for in the Trinity is a Tri-Unity: in this non-dual mystery we find an equalization, a harmony, of Unity and Diversity. Listen, on this, to the great Eastern theologian Gregory of Nazianzus (b. 329):
If ever there was a time when the Father was not, then there was a time when the Son was not. If ever there was a time when the Son was not, then there was a time when the Spirit was not. If the One was from the beginning, then the Three were so too.
*John Hannah. “HT200 Class Notes,” 7.11. At basictheology.com .
Of course, the linguistics fail, for Gregory can only speak in time, and the Godhead cannot be defined or explained in the linguistics of time. Still, let it suffice to say, the Holy Spirit is all of God. When we receive the Holy Spirit, we are imbued with all of the Father and all of the Son.
When the Church came up with the Greek word hypostasis - coming to us from Latin persona, we translated "person" to refer to the Persons - Father, Son, Holy Spirit - of the One God. And the Latin persona came to us through associating it, apparently, with the Greek prosopon.
The three persona, or persons, implies different realities of One Reality - the Church never intended "persons" to be taken literally, but only as a metaphor of the Mystery of the Oneness-in-Threeness, or Threeness-in-Oneness, of God - for in God, both are the same, and the same is both.
What does "persons" imply? These entail: "substances," "aspects," "personalities," "roles," "differentiations" ... within God.
* * *
So, the immediacy and power of Divine Presence were associated by the Church then - and now - with the Holy Spirit. And this Spirit is, we may say, a "personality" of Godhead, through and within Whom we receive power. The Holy Spirit is not of a different substance from the Godhead, but is a differentiation arising from within the unity, or simplicity, of the Godhead.
* * *
However, against much postmodern thought, the Sacred Spirit is not an impersonal Force. The Church gave the word "Person" to the Trinity to make clear God is Personal, is "Person." Indeed, we have personality, are persons, in, by, and for the Personality, or Person, of God. Note the "personality" of the Sacred Spirit in relationship to us:
And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live.
*Ephesians 4.30a (NLT)
Now, an im-personal, or un-personal, Force, or Power, we cannot grieve. Such a Force is immune to sorrow. Indeed, how can we trust such a Force even cares? We cannot.
And at the core of Christian faith is God who cares for each one of us, and all creation - truly cares. Indeed, God is one with all we experience, for God is Personal, the Person of persons.
So, I recommend you beware of much that now goes on about manipulating the so-called universal Force with positive thinking. Better you have a loving relationship with the Sacred, and pray, "What would you have me be? What would you have me do?"
Contrast theistic faith with The Secret. Ready, just note these two "affirmations" - "We are the creators of our universe," "You are the only one that creates your reality."
Continued... |
